2. Academic Validation
  3. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II study of istiratumab (MM-141) plus nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine versus nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in front-line metastatic pancreatic cancer (CARRIE)

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II study of istiratumab (MM-141) plus nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine versus nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in front-line metastatic pancreatic cancer (CARRIE)

  • Ann Oncol. 2020 Jan;31(1):79-87. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2019.09.004.
M Kundranda 1,  A C Gracian 2,  S F Zafar 3,  E Meiri 4,  J Bendell 5,  H Algül 6,  F Rivera 7,  E R Ahn 8,  D Watkins 9,  U Pelzer 10,  V Charu 11,  A Zalutskaya 12,  G Kuesters 12,  J M Pipas 12,  S Santillana 12,  V Askoxylakis 12,  A H Ko 13
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Medical Oncology, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, USA.
  • 2 Medical Oncology, Centro Integral Oncologico Clara Campal, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Clínicas, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain.
  • 3 Hematology and Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists, Fort Myers, USA.
  • 4 Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Care and Research Center, Atlanta, USA.
  • 5 GI Oncology, Sarah Cannon Research Institute/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, USA.
  • 6 TUM School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Medizinische Klinik II, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
  • 7 Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Marques de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
  • 8 Medical Oncology, Cancer Treatment Centers of America Chicago, Zion, USA.
  • 9 Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, UK.
  • 10 Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
  • 11 Hematology/Oncology, Pacific Cancer Medical Center, Anaheim, USA.
  • 12 Clinical Development, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, USA.
  • 13 Hematology/Oncology, University of California San Francisco Cancer Center, San Francisco, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 31912800 DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2019.09.004
Abstract

Background: Preclinical data suggest that dual blockade of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and HER3 pathways has superior activity to IGF-1R blockade alone in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We tested whether istiratumab, an IGF-1R- and ErbB3-bispecific antibody, can enhance the efficacy of standard of care (SOC) chemotherapy in patients with metastatic PDAC selected for high IGF-1 serum levels.

Patients and methods: CARRIE was an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II study for patients with previously untreated metastatic PDAC. In part 1, 10 patients were evaluated for pharmacokinetics and safety. In part 2, patients with high free serum IGF-1 levels were randomized 1 : 1 to receive either istiratumab [2.8 g intravenously (i.v.) every 2 weeks] or placebo combined with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel at approved dose schedule. The co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with high IGF-1 levels and PFS in patients with both high serum IGF-1 levels and heregulin (HRG)+ tumors. Key secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) by RECIST v.1.1, and adverse events (AEs) rate.

Results: A total of 317 patients were screened, with 88 patients randomized in part 2 (experimental arm n = 43; control n = 45). In the high IGF-1 cohort, median PFS was 3.6 and 7.3 months in the experimental versus control arms, respectively [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.88, P = 0.027]. In the high IGF-1/HRG+ subgroup (n = 44), median PFS was 4.1 and 7.3 months, respectively (HR = 1.39, P = 0.42). Median OS and ORR for the overall population were similar between two arms. No significant difference in serious or grade ≥3 AEs was observed, although low-grade AEs leading to early discontinuation were higher in the experimental (39.5%) versus control arm (24.4%).

Conclusions: Istiratumab failed to improve the efficacy of SOC chemotherapy in this patient setting. High serum IGF-1 levels did not appear to be an adverse prognostic factor when compared with non-biomarker-selected historic controls.

Clinical trial registration numbers: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02399137; EUDRA CT: 2014-004572-34.

Keywords

CARRIE; MM-141; heregulin; insulin-like growth factor 1; istiratumab; metastatic pancreatic cancer.

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